Cable-carrier system.



F. R. TAISEY.

CABLE CARRIER SYSTEM.

APPLICAHON FILED JAN.8.1914.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

snirns rairnnr @Fi ifi.

FRED R. TAISEY, OF.LOWELL, PEASSACJI-IUSET'IS, ASSIGNOB TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- CABLE-CARRIER SYSTEM.

1,157,192. Original application filed July 17, 1 913,

S! b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED R. TAISEY, a

citizen of the United States; residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable- Carrier Systems, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to apparatus, d1sposed at stations of a cable carrier system, for despatching and receiving carriers, and is particularly adapted to what are known as high-line drop stations in systems of this character. Features thereof may also be em ployed to advantage in low-line systems. The present application is a divisionoi my application entitledCable carrier system, Serial Number 779,449, filed July 17, 1913. and relates moreparticularly to certain features of construction and combinations of elements which were shown by way of exemplifioation in my saidformer or parent application, but which were not claimed therein. i

Qne of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved'means for nism may be intermittently operated, as

needed. by power derived from the cable or like means which propels the carriers along the main track.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for operatively engaging carriers with thepropelling means.

an important feature of'the present construction involves the provision of a'tractor or carriage which is adapted to be propelled by the cable which propels carriers along the main track and which is adapted to thereby draw or pull carriers along an auxiliary track leading into said main track.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Get. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 779,449. Divided and this application filed January 8, 1914. Serial No. 810,980.

that various changesand modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I hence desire to be limited only by the scope of said claims broadly considered in the light of my disclosure. Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation ofa high-line drop station.

'Fig. 2. is a section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; the section being taken on line 'IIII.of said figure. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line IH1II of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of the carrier or tractor shown in Fig. 1. I

The/main track in the present instance comprises an upper or incoming track 1 preferably adapted to support carriers horizontally; both portions of the track being disposed in a horizontal plane in a known manner. The lower or outgoing track in the apparatus exemplified has the rails 22 thereof disposed in the'same vertical plane, butI do not wish to be limited in any Way to such disposition of the rails where the claims do not clearly specify such an ar 7 rangement.

.The main'traoks have been respectively designated forwarding and return tracks with respect to the drop or clerks station and not with respect to the cashiers station. A track comprising rails 3-3 extends upvertically from a point convenient to the operative and is adapted to deliver carriers to a track, the "rails of which have been designated 2 (and which may hence for brevityconveniently be referred to as track 2) when the switch or bridge l is in its elevated position, indicated by dotted lines at l in Fig.1. A cable 5 serves to propel carriers in the direction indicated by the, ar-

rows adjaoentthereto, along the respective main tracks, and this cable, it will be noted, is normally substantially free from kinks and bends where passing a station of the character in question, a feature of considerable" importance. An independent drop track I 6'6 is adapted to receive carriers from switch 7 to which selective carriers are deliveredlin a known manner from the upper or horiz'ontaltrack 1. The respective track sections and switch-are suitably connected together and supported by brackets or connections 8, 9, 10,11, 12 Band 14; the

pusher 17, which may. be of fiber or other suitable material and which is adapted for engagement with the track 3 up and down which it moves. I

The'cord 16 passes upwardly from its point of attachment 18' :to the pusher 17,. around an idler 1.9 mounted,uponthebracket 13, and thenceiaround an idler 20 carried by bracket 12; being finally loopedaround a pulley 21-moun-ted upon a carriage or tractor 22;-the upper extremity of cord 16 being 1, tracks or guides 24:, as best shown in Figs. 2'

; connectedto atension spring23 which is in turn fastened to thebracket 9. The traveling block orcarriage22 rides upon'auxiliary and? V 1 p The weight of the-pusher is, normally sufficient to return the carriage; tothe position inwhich it is shown in Fig. 1, when displaced therefrom by the cable 5 and after being released from said cable in the manner hereinafter described, and a bumper 25, pro? vided "with a compression spring 26, cushions the return of-this carriage to. its normal position; the outward movement ,of the spring .26 being limited by a collar 26 on the bumperrod, which collar engages an extension 12 of the bracket 12; the. bumper rod'being slidably mounted inbraoket 9-and having its rear end pivotally connected'to an arm 2 'keyed to the shaft 15. The rear end .of spring 26 bears against an extension 9 of the bracket 9. I j

r The carriage 22' carries vupon one side thereof a fixed jaw 27 and, has pivotally mounted in operative relationship to this jaw a grip element or jaw- 28 against the fiatened hub .of which within the carriage, a spring 29bears in such a manner as to hold the pivoted jaw in its openas well asin 1 i-tscable gripping positiomwhen moved into either of these positions; this spring further having a tendencyto snap the jaw 28 closed when it has been swung inwardly part way by the cam 30, .which occurs when the carriage vis retracted against the action; of

bufler spring 26-by adownward thrust upon the pusher 17, by means of the carrier being despatched. The jaw 28 while pivoted preferably interiorlyv of the carriage extends out therefrom through a slot 28 in a manner common to'cable carrier construction.

The grip mechanism comprising jaws27 I and 28 is in-fact practically a duplicate of that provided upon each of the carriers and a r is intended to operate in substantially the same manner. 7 v struction of the carriers need not be herein given, since they are practically identical patent to George A. Amsden #960,617, dated June 7,

1910. It may also be=here noted that spring 7 with the carrier shown in the 26 is sufficiently strong to resist the pull exercised upon the cord 16 by the descending unloaded pusher after ,the despatch of" a carrier, so that the] cam 30 cannot inadvertently rengage the carriage with the cable 5.

spaced for thejgreater part of their length a sufiicient' distance from the cable 5 to prevent the j awe of the carriage 22, becoming in-j A description of the "con- Theguides 24:, as shown in Fig. 2, are

advertentlylengaged with the cable: and also I to insure'aproper clearance forthecarriers traversingtrack 2. These guides, however, are inwardly directed toward saidcable at their inner'e'nds, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the carriage is retracted against the action of spring 2.6, the jaws 27 and 28 are brought into'position where they may. be 1 caused by cam 30 to grip the'cable; while the bracket 8 carries a cam 31 which'is adapted to swing open the pivoted jaw 28'when the car riage has moved to substantially'the' forward limit of its travel. "The hub of the bridge 4 is notched, as at 32, for engagement with the toe of a latch '33, .whichis' pivotally mounted at 34 upon another extension of the bracket 9.; said-latchbeing normally held in its op- V erative position by'means of a spring38 attached to thebracket13 and to an arm '35 of said latch; ,The latch is also provided with .a lug 36 which is adapted for engagementwith a cam acting hook :37 mounted upon the pusher 17. 7 n

An arm 'connctedzt'o the switch or bridge 41 has pivotal-lyconnected to the upper side thereof atg38 ra 'link 39gwhich' extends in j parallelism .withzthe'track 2, at this'point, and is connected at 4:0 to an arm of a bellcrank or bent lever 41 {the link 39 also being shaped element 4? ).v Theelement '41 has its free end 41* shaped for engagement with the pivoted jaw oficarriers traversingtrack 2;

said jaw, as above stated, beingsubstantially like the jaw 28 of' the carriage 22Eand also like the pivoted jaw-of the carrier shown in "thepatent toAm'sden above referred to. In

fact when the element 41 is disposed in its" dotted lineposition it behaves like'the comconnected at a suitable'intermediate pointy V 42 to. the corresponding arm of the crankmonly provided fixed'grip opening cams in usein cable carrier systems, but unlike these fixed cams it is adapted to be swung downwardly out of possibility of engagement with the pivoted grip member of a passing and 43 are thereby moved into their opera tive positions while a carrier is between said elements. The element 43 is not onlyadapted to open the grip of a carrierbut furthermore serves as a stop for said carrier or for a carrier whose grip has been openedby the cam 41. A fixed grip opening cam 44 is mounted upon the bracket 13 in the path of a carrier. ascending from the I station, for the purpose of opening the cable grip of the carrier 45 when the latter has been inserted through the usual aperture 46 of the track 3, with its grip closed. It will be understood of course that the aperture 46 is adapted for the reception of the lugs 45 commonly pro .vided upon the carriers of this description for the purpose of retaining them upon the track along which they ride.

For convenience and simplicity of construction the inner rail of the track 3 is cut away upon its sides as at47 so that itmay be received into a slot 48 in the free end of the switch or bridge 4 when the bridge is in the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1. This reduced portion 47 of the inner rail 3 quite closely engages the bifurcated end of the. bridge and holds the latter firmlyagainst lateral displacement in the horizontal plane, when said bridge is down; and. the corresponding cut away portion 47 of the upper rail of track 2 correspondingly enters said slot 48 when the bridge is in its closed position. Finally, it will of course be understood that the bridge or at least that portion thereof which is engaged by a carrier ascending from the station, is of substantially the same thickness vice or carriage 22 rearwardly and also causes it to approach the cable 5 until its I jaws are operatively engaged with the latter by the cam 30, which rocks the pivoted jaw 28 up until it engages or'practically engages cable 5, whereupon both spring29 and the cable actto swing it into operative position; the cable drawing the carriage along with it, and thereby pulling up the pusher and the carrier supported thereby until the carrier the bridge released.

passes a considerable portion at least of the bridge 4 and has acquired sufficient momentum to insure its being ejected onto main track 2. fWhen the carriage 22 was thus drawn rearwardly it was strongly pressed against the bumper 25 which drove backithe bumper rod, within spring 26, and thereby rocked the arm 27 rearwardly. This in turn rotated the shaft, 15 clockwise, as viewed inFig. 1, and lifted the bridge 4 to its dotted line position in which it was then held by latch 33, Simultaneously with this upward movement of the bridge, the link 39 is driven rearwardly by reason of its connection with the bridge, which disposes the carrier grip-tripping and'stopping members 41 and 43 in position to check the progress of a carrier approaching thestation and en route along track 2.' The link 39 in the present instance is merely a straight bar, but it is adapted when raised, as it is by a forward movement thereof caused by the return of the bridge to it's normal position, to engage the pivoted grip element of any carrier or carriers which may be disposed thereabove and by forcing said element or elements upwardlytoward the cable 5, to thereby redespatch said carrier or carriers. The bridge '4 is locked in its upperposition by the latch 33, but when the pusher 17 has been drawn up sufliciently to permit its cam hook 37 to engage the lug 36 of said latch, the latch is moved to its open position and As previously stated, this causes a slight elevation of the link 39 together with a forward movement thereof and simultaneously lowers the cams or trips 41 and 43. Y

The release of the bridge occurs shortly before the carriage 22 reaches the limit of its outward travel, so that the spring 23 is slightly stretched. The instant after the bridge is unlatched, however, the grip opening cam 31 in the path of the jaw 28, swings the latter downyfreeing the carriage from the cable and permitting it to be returned to its normal position; the cable having been pulled laterally out of its normal path by the carriage jaws and hence tending to immediately emerge from between these jaws when the latter are opened. The return of the carriage to its normal position by the weight of the'pusher 17 is preferably relatively slow as compared to the speed of the cable, the carriage moving back but half as fast-as the pusher descends, and hence the impact of the carriage against its bumper is insuflicient to effectan inadvertent reelevation of the bridge through the connection of'the bumper with the latter; even though the bridge be relatively light in weight. Further, the looping of the flexible element or hoisting cord 16, around pulley 21, perat a speed materially greater than the determined or normal speed at'which said carrier is" afterward drawn along track 2 by the cable. When the pusher is driven down as by the pressure of the hand of theoperative againstthe carrier to be despatched, it may happen that if the-hoisting cord has not "been properly adjusted, fo'rlength, the tractor may become engaged with the cable before the bridge has been quite elevated to its latching position; but even this will not "materially aflect the operation of the apparatus since in such case the bridge will be lifted or opened by 'the ascending carrier itself, which action will of course elevate the grip-tripping elements ll and 43 as before. Indeed, even should the latch become wholly ineffective, the bridge would not only be operatively displaced by the carrier being despatched but would further be held open. by said carrier until the latter had cleared it, and the trips 41 and 43 would be efiectively disposed to check the progress of a through carrier, in the manner above described, until thebridge was allowed to'close by the emergence of the carrier being despatchedfrom the station,'from beneath said bridge. Thus the apparatus is but little subject to disarrangement and provides, a de- Y pendable and efiicient mechanism for the descarriage provided with a cable-gripping means together with devices for engaging and disengaging such means respectively with and from the cable, in devices ofthis description is believed to be very broadly' new. Iam aware, however, that other means for, effecting reciprocation or to and fro movement of such a device may be used in.- lieu-of the cable and a weight (pusher 17) or its equivalent, and hence do not desire to be limited to a cable propelled tractor of this description except when the claims specifically so indicate. I also desire to call particular attention to the provision of themovable means, 6. 51.,cam's, trips or the like, such as the parts 39, 41" and i3 for arrestingidetermined carriers under certain conditions and for efi'ecting theirrengagement with or re-subjection to the influenceof the cable or other propelling means; 3. i

' Inthe apparatus given by way of eXem plification were it notior the provision of at least one of the cams'or trips 41 and 43", or some equivalent thereof, a carrier en route pastthe station would encomiterthe bridge4 when the latter is raised which, if the grip of the carrier were not open under.

memos such condition, would result in burning or: otherwise injuring the cable or other parts. f 1 j 1. V

The advantagefof providing a plurality of grip opening cams or parts 4 1 and 4.3

residesin the fact that'if, for example, two carriers,relatively close together are en route alongtrack 2- past the station, and a carrier is being despatched from'said stae tion which would, collide :with the bridge,

the first carrier "will either have its "grip opened by cam 41 and be stopped by cam 1 '43, or it will haye its grip opened by cam This permits, in eiiect,"of a temporary stor age of a plurality of car'riers above the link 39. g V r The provision of means, .'g.-, the switch? and track 6, for receiving carriers from the return track which are substantiallyindependent of the power driven carrier-delivering mechanism, is of special value inasystem of the character described, since it permits of thedespat'chiof carriers from the, f

station by said mechanism without interference therewith by carriers arriving at the station. It will'be noted, too,*that the trackor way leading from the station to the' 'fon fwarding track is of substantially the same gage as said forwarding track; the carrier saidtr'acks. is Y The provision of the sp'ring'23 in connection with the hoisting cord eliminates the, necessity for any fvery nice adjustment of parts and furtherservesto impart an initial return impulse to the" carriageor tractor" after it has been freed from the cable by the cam 31'. a

the tractor carriage is, inthe present in-' stance, provided with bifurcated lugs at the respective extremities thereof-which serve to maintain it in engagement with the respective'parts of its guideway; other; means may be employed to maintainit iniposition- '1,10"V It will be understood or course, that while 7 thereon," 'iFurther, when 7 in certain of the V J appended claims I have broadly characterized this carriage as a dev ce, I desire it to be understood that this term is of sufii-' cientibreadth to cover any construction to which it may properly be applied in view of my disclosure; attention beingv particularly directed in this connection to thesimilarity of the carriage'shown by way of exemplification tothe preferredtype of carrier,

Havingthus described my invention what I claim is 1. Cable 7 carrier apparatus comprising a- 1 0" beingsuccessivelydirected into engagement with and positively propelled along both of 7 along said auxiliary track toward said main track, and automatic means for engaging said tractor with said cable.

2. Cable carrier apparatus, comprising a main track, an auxiliary track, a carrier to travel along said track, a continuously driven cable adjacent said main track, a tractorhaving means for engaging'said cable, means whereby said tractor may propel said-carrier along said auxiliary track toward said main track, and automatic means for disengaging said tractor from' said cable.

3. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, an auxiliary track, a carrier to travel" along said track, a continuously driven cable adjacent said main track, a tractor having means for engaging said cable, means, whereby said tractor may propel said carrieralong said auxiliary track to ward said main track, and automatic means for engaging said tractor with said cable and for disengaging it therefrom, thereafter. a

4:. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a track, a guideway in substantial parallelism therewith, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a tractor to travel on said guideway, a cable to propel said carrier along,

said track, means to connect said tractor with said cable, and means whereby said tractor may operatively position said carrier withrespect to said cable. 5. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a way, a carrier adapted to travel along said way, a power driven cable, a carriage having means to engage said cable, means to propel said carrier along said way by a movement of said carriage, and means to auto matically disconnect said carriage and cable. 6. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a way, a carrier adapted to travel'along said way, a' power driven cable, a carriage having means to engage said cable, means to propel said carrier along said way by a movement of said carriage, and means to automatically disconnect said carriage and cable after said carrier has been propelled a determined distance by said carriage.

7. Carrier apparatus comprising a way, a carrierto travel thereon, said way having provisions for permitting the emplacement of said carrier in direct operative engagement with said way,'power means normally moving in a determined direction, means adapted to be propelled by said power means to propel said carrier along said way, means to subject said carrier propelling means to the action of said power means, and means to free said propelling means from" such action and to subject said carrier to the direct action "of said power means.

8. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a continuously driven cable, a carriage having means to engage said cable, a way, a carrier, means to propel said carrier along said way by a movement of said carriage, and means to automatically free said carriage from'said cable and to directly connect said carrier to said cable.

9. Cable carrier apparatus comprising-a main track, a branch track, a flexible element to propel carriers'along said main track, an auxiliary element to propel carriers along said branch track and means to automatically connect and disconnect said elements.

10. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, a branch track, a flexible element to propel carriers along said main track, an auxiliary element to propel carriers along said branch track, means to connect and disconnect said elements, said carriers having means adapted to engage said flexible element and a part of said first mentioned means also being adapted to actuate said last mentioned means to effect its said engagement with said flexible element.

11. Cablecarrier apparatus comprising a track, a carrier to travel along said track, means, including a reciprocable tractor for emplacing said carrier on said track at a determined point in the latter, and means, actuated by power transmitted through said tractor, for checking the progress of a carrier traveling along said track toward said point when said first mentioned carrier is being delivered to said track by said tractor.

12. Carrier despatch apparatus comprising a track, a carrier to travel along said track, and means, including a reciprocable tractor adapted to travel in substantial parallelism with said track, for emplacing said carrier on said track.

13. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, a branch track of substantially the same gage as said main track, carriers to travel'along said tracks, means, including a reciprocable tractor, for propelling a carrier along said branch track toward said main'trac'k, a cable for propelling a carrier along said main track,.and collision preventing means for checking the progress of a carrier on one of said tracks, said means being adapted to be rendered operative by power derived from said cable.

14:. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, a branch track of substantially the same gage as said main track, carriers to travel along said tracks, means, including a reciprocable tractor, for propelling a carrier along said branch'track toward said main track, a cable for propelling a carrier along said main track, and collision prevent.-.

. carrier on one of said tracks When a carrier is traversing the other ofsaid tracks toward and past a determined point in said' last mentioned track. I a 15. Cable carrier apparatuscomprising a guide-Way, a propelling cable to travel in: a determined direction, a device to travelvon said guide-Way and having means to engage said cable, and means to connect said cable engaging means With said cablebya movement of said device in a direction substantially opposite to the determined direction aforesaid. 7 l 4 i 16. .Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guide-Way, a propelling cable to travel, in a determined direction, a device to travel on said guide-Way and having means torengage said cable, means to connect said cable engaging means vi'ith said cable by ainovement of said device in a direction substan tially opposite to the determined direction aforesaid, and means to move said device in said opposite direction.

17. able carrier apparatus comprising a guide-Way, a propelling cable to travel, in a determined direction, .a device to travel on said guide-Way andhavingmeans'to engage said cable, and'means to 'connectjsaid cable engaging means with said cable by a movement of said device-in a direction substantially opposite to the determined direction i aforesaid, said cable, and cable engaging means being disposed-With respect to each other, prior to said movement in saidopposite direction, to prevent inadvertent operative engagement therebetween.

18. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guide-Way, a propelling cable to travel, in a determined direction, a device to travel a determined direction, a device to travel,

7 on said guide-Way and having means to engage said cable, means to connect said cable and cable engaging means When said device is moved in a direction substantially opposite that in Which it is moved by said cable when connected thereto, means to thereafter automatically disconnect said. de-

vice from said cable, meansto return said device toward said second mentionedmeans,

' 1 and means to prevent inadvertentre-connec- V tion of said device with said cable upon the said return. 7

20. Cable carrierapparatus comprising a guide-Way, a propelling cable totravelin connect a determined direction, device to travelon said guide-way having a pulley attached" thereto, a, flexible connection in engagement With sa d pulley, arcarrier, means to propel said carrier by a movement of said flexidevice vith said cable.

vice, along said guide-Way, saidmeans includ ng a power driven cable and meansto cable.

Cable carrier apparatus comprising ia guideay, a device to travel thereon, means I V to automatically reclproc'ably move sald de5 1o ble connection, andmeans to connect said i and disconnect said device, and i vicealong said guide-Way, said means in-x cludingiapovver driven cableand means to connect and disconnect said device and cable,

and a bumper-for limiting themovement of said device when traveling inf'one direction;

23. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guide-Way, adevice totravel thereon", means to automat cally reciprocably Vmove said de- "10631011 23: sald gu deay, saidmeans including a power driven cable and means to connect and disconnect said'device andcable, 1

and a bumper for limiting the movement of saiddevice Whentraveling in one direction,

' said'bu'mper adapted to normally prevent the furtherreciprocation of said device after latter has lmpinged thereagainst.

24 Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guideqvay, a device to travel thereon,;fiexible means to propel-said device inone direction along said guide-vvay, means to connect and disconnect said device and flexible 1neans,'and means Ito retract said device after it has been propelled'bysaid flexible means.-

V 25. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guide-Way, av device to travel thereon, a cable to propel said device in one direction and separate means toretract said device at ter. it has been propelled by said cable.

p 26. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a guide way, a device to travel thereon, a

cable to propelsaid device in one direction and yielding means to retract said device after'ithas been propelled by said cable.-

, "27. Cable carrier apparatus comprising tWo substantially independent guide-ways,

of said devices, and connections to propel the second of said devices by a movement of 7 the first by itssaidcable, i

said.- devices, connections to propel the *sec% a device to travel on one of said guideays,

a second device to travel on-the other of said guide-Ways, a cable to propel the first ond of said devices by a movement of the first by its said cable, both of said devices having means to engage said cable, and said apparatus further comprising means to dis-v of said devices having means to engage said cable and to. be'propelled thereby along its respective guide-way, and means to normally disengage one of said devices from said cable as it reaches a determined point in its guide-way, when the other of said devices is operatively connected to said cable.

30. Cable carrier apparatuscomprising a a track, a carrier to travel on said track, a propelling cable normally driven at a determined speed, and means to propel said carrier, by power derived from said cable, at a speed materially in excess of that of said cable.

31. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a track, a carrier to travel on said track, apropelling cable normally'driven at a deter- Copies of this patent may be obtained for mined speed, and means to propel said carrier, by power derived from said cable at a speed substantially twice as fast as that of said cable.

32. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, a reciprocably mounted tractor, a cable, means for connecting and disconnecting said tractor with and from said cable, an auxiliary track, a switch at the point of delivery of said auxiliary track to said main track, and means for actuating said switch by a movement of said tractor.

33. Cable carrier apparatus comprising a main track, an auxiliary track leading thereinto, a cable to propel carriers along said main track, a device movable by said cable in one direction, means to move said device in an opposite direction, a switch at the junction of said tracks, and means to move said switch in accordance with a movement of said. device.

In testimony, whereof I have afixed my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED R. TAISEY.

Vitnesses S. B. PITMAN, E. A. LAWSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

